The road to becoming a parent is different for everyone. For couples struggling with infertility, taking a non-traditional route may be your best bet to welcome a baby into your family. Today, getting help with fertility issues is an accepted method of growing your family tree.
If you’re new to fertility treatment, researching your options and working with a fertility specialist is the first step to having a child of your own. Your circumstances are unique, and these medical professionals understand how to help you overcome your particular infertility issues to select the best treatment option for your growing family. You don’t have to make this journey alone. Fertility specialists will guide you and support you through the obstacles and joys of becoming a parent, increasing your chance of having a baby.
Learning About Fertility and Understanding Your Issues
Understanding the obstacles that stand in the way of parenthood is likely your first encounter with fertility treatment. It’s important to have awareness of your own fertility issues, so you and your fertility specialist can take steps to overcome them. Specialists in this field have gone beyond medical school to receive additional training in obstetrics, gynecology, urology or reproduction to offer you your best chance of pregnancy success.
The first step most fertility specialists take is to diagnose male or female infertility. If you have been attempting to naturally conceive for six months to a year without success, there are a variety of infertility issues and factors that may be making it difficult to get pregnant, including:
- Postponing children until later in life
- Certain lifestyle behaviors
- Abnormalities of the ovaries, fallopian tubes or uterus
- Problems with ovulation
- Endometriosis
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- And more
Male infertility is another issue that can prevent you and your partner from getting pregnant. If you’re not sure why you are having fertility issues, you should both visit the fertility specialist. Low sperm count and sexual dysfunction may need to be addressed by a doctor specializing in male infertility.
Fertility Treatment Options
Thanks to modern medicine and technology, infertility doesn’t have to prevent you from having a child of your own. There are a huge variety of options to address all kinds of fertility issues. Sometimes, only one person requires treatment, while for other couples, both partners need a combination of treatments.
Fertility treatments generally start with fertility medication that helps with hormones and ovulation. These are highly effective and can be prescribed by your doctor. Infertility may also need to be addressed through surgery, which is common for women with tissue blocking their fallopian tubes or those struggling with endometriosis
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) describes several more involved procedures in which eggs and embryos are handled outside of the mother’s womb. These techniques make it easier for your fertility specialist to fertilize an egg using sperm or help the egg implant in the uterine lining.
The two most common ART fertility treatments are:
- In-vitro fertilization (IVF): The eggs taken from your ovaries are fertilized by sperm in a lab. After they develop into embryos, your doctor puts one directly into your uterus.
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI): Healthy sperm, either from your partner or a donor, are collected and inserted into your uterus during ovulation.
Other forms of ART often used by same-sex couples, single individuals wishing to have a baby and those experiencing problems with their sperm cells or eggs include:
Gestational carriers, often called surrogates, is an option for those who are unable to sustain a pregnancy. Surrogates are healthy women who can carry your child and give birth for you. You can choose a close friend or family member as your surrogate, or you can pick someone you don’t know who is provided through a reputable fertility clinic.
Starting Your Fertility Journey
Do not feel overwhelmed or disheartened if you’ve received an infertility diagnosis. Today, there are many fertility treatments available that can help you build your family.
When you come to Western Fertility Institute, our fertility specialists and support staff can help you navigate the ins and outs of your fertility journey. We are here to offer support, guidance and compassionate care from the day of your first inquiry and every step of the way until you have a child in your arms.
Contact us today for more information on medical and non-medical infertility treatment options.